Sep 17, 2025
What if that sleek counter-drone laser Belarus just showed off isn’t entirely “homegrown”?
Belarus has unveiled its Shafran laser at Zapad-2025, claiming it’s a domestic weapon that takes down small UAVs up to a kilometer away.
But many analysts see eerie parallels to the Chinese Silent Hunter system—same angled tracking camera, same control layout, timeframe too short for in-house R&D.
Is Shafran literally a repackaged Silent Hunter, or a fast track to real laser power? Either way, this signals something bigger: the growing role of laser weapons in modern air defense, and how countries under pressure are leaning on external tech while pushing the narrative of “indigenous innovation.”
